Sunday, 14 August 2016

Ukip in the Assembly will not fight for Wales in Berexit aftermath.

You don't have to be a complete cynic to view the claim that athe cash package announced by Chancellor Philip Hammond today will guarantee continued funding for EU projects in the wake of the Brexit vote. with a bit od suspicion

Key projects supporting economic development across the UK are expected to be given the green light, ending uncertainty over their future following the UK’s decision to leave the EU.Assurances set out by the Treasury include:

All structural and investment fund projects, including agri-environment schemes, signed before Autumn Statement will be fully funded, even when these projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU

The Treasury will also put in place arrangements for assessing whether to guarantee funding for specific structural and investment fund projects that might be signed after the Autumn Statement, but while we remain a member of the EU;

Where UK organisations bid directly to the European Commission on a competitive basis for EU funding projects while we are still a member of the EU – for example universities participating in Horizon 2020 – the Treasury will underwrite the payments of such awards, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.

However the guarantee does not cover transformational projects such as the South East Wales Metro.

It seems ro me that this is the bare minimum that we could rightly express given the assurances we given before the Brexir vote.

First Minister Carwyn Jones

“While today’s announcement is a step in the right direction and provides some reassurance to businesses, organisations and communities currently in receipt of EU funding, it doesn’t go far enough. This guarantee only covers about half of the regional funding due to Wales and does not provide the long-term certainty needed – which was promised ahead of the referendum.,,,

Interestingly the only other polticn in Wales who commented was Ukip Assembly group leader Neil Hamilton who said:

“For years Ukip has said we have nothing to fear from Brexit and a world of opportunity is waiting for us if we are brave enough to break free. This announcement comes in the same week that Tata steel declared a new, £7m investment in Wales, and surely shows it’s high time Carwyn Jones and his europhile colleagues apologised to the Welsh people for trying to scare them into voting Remain.“Thankfully, the Welsh people are much more canny than Labour thinks and most of us saw through Labour’s false predictions of doom and gloom. I am delighted that Welsh voters have been proven right so quickly.“I have just visited the Airbus plant in Broughton – a terrific success story built on British engineering excellence.“It proves we can punch above our weight in global markets and that leaving the EU’s flawed political union is no bar to future economic collaboration.”

It is rather odd to see an opposition spokesman who doesn't try and find any holes in a Government announcement and this seems to be riddled so far as the future outlook.

Over the next five years of ths Assembly as we face the reality of the Brexit vite on the Welsh economy outlined by Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood call for bigger borrowing powers for Wales in wake of Brexit vote.

We might even see those Tories in Waled who supported REMAIN criticising aspects of the Brexit with regards the Welsh Economy and funding.

One Party in particular regardless of whose in Number Ten will be arguing that everything is OK even if it is clear we are going to hell in an handcart.

But Ukip will pe in the position of not defending Wales or even fighting for an improved package but claiming Brexit is delivering despite stark evidence .

What do we want in an Assembly . Parties that fight for Wales, Parties that support anything London tells us what we need, or even a Party that simply believed their work is done and just waving the Union Jack.